The Scientist
Albums 1. A Rush Of Blood To The Head 2. The Scientist 3. Live 2003 "'''The Scientist" is the second single from English alternative rock band Coldplay's second album, A Rush Of Blood To The Head. The song was written collaboratively by all the band members for the album. It is built around a piano ballad, with its lyrics telling the story about a man's desire to love and an apology. The song was released in the United Kingdom as the second single from A Rush Of Blood To The Head and reached number 10 in the UK Tracks. It was released in the United States as the third single and reached number 18 on Billboards Modern Rock Tracks. Background Vocalist Chris Martin wrote "The Scientist" after listening to George Harrison's "All things must pass." In an interview with ''Rolling Stone, Martin revealed that while working on the band's second album, A Rush Of Blood To The Head, he knew that the album was missing something.One night, during a stay in Liverpool, Martin found an old piano that was out of tune. He wanted to work on Harrison's song, "Isn't It a Pity," but he could not manage to do so. When the song came to Martin, he asked that the recorder be turned on. He concluded by saying that he came across this chord sequence and noted that the chord was "lovely." Martin recorded the vocals and piano takes in a studio in Liverpool. Reception Critics were positive towards the song. Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone, in his review of the album wrote: "The fantastic piano ballad 'The Scientist' ... has a cataclysmic falsetto finale that could raise every hair on the back of your neck." Nick Southall of Stylus magazine wrote: "The piano that chimes through 'The Scientist' is captured perfectly, the warm depression of each individual key caught rather than a shrill ringing as is so often the case." Ian Watson of NME wrote: "'The Scientist' is a song inexorably linked with the endless night sky and the secret hopes and regrets of a hundred thousand strangers." Music video The music video for "The Scientist" was very popular with its reverse narrative. The same concept was previously used for Spike's 1996 music video for The Pharcyde's "Drop." This reverse style was first seen in the video for the song "The Second Summer Of Love" by Scottish band Danny Wilson in 1989. It took Martin a month to learn to sing the song backwards. Lyrics Come up to meet you Tell you I'm sorry You don't know how lovely you are I had to find you Tell you I need you Tell you I set you apart Tell me your secrets And ask me your questions Oh let's go back to the start Running in circles; coming up tails Heads on a silence apart Nobody said it was easy It's such a shame for us to part Nobody said it was easy No one ever said it would be this hard Oh take me back to the start I was just guessing at numbers and figures Pulling your puzzles apart Questions of science; science and progress Do not speak as loud as my heart Tell me you love me Come back and haunt me Oh and I rush to the start Running in circles, chasing our tails Coming back as we are Nobody said it was easy Oh it's such a shame for us to part Nobody said it was easy No one ever said it would be so hard I'm going back to the start Oh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh X4 Category:Songs Category:A Rush of Blood to the Head Category:The Scientist Category:Live 2003